Cosmetics, like any product containing water and organic/inorganic compounds, require preservation against microbial contamination to guarantee consumer’s safety and to increase their shelf-life. The ...microbiological safety has as main goal of consumer protection against potentially pathogenic microorganisms, together with the product’s preservation resulting from biological and physicochemical deterioration. This is ensured by chemical, physical, or physicochemical strategies. The most common strategy is based on the application of antimicrobial agents, either by using synthetic or natural compounds, or even multifunctional ingredients. Current validation of a preservation system follow the application of good manufacturing practices (GMPs), the control of the raw material, and the verification of the preservative effect by suitable methodologies, including the challenge test. Among the preservatives described in the positive lists of regulations, there are parabens, isothiasolinone, organic acids, formaldehyde releasers, triclosan, and chlorhexidine. These chemical agents have different mechanisms of antimicrobial action, depending on their chemical structure and functional group’s reactivity. Preservatives act on several cell targets; however, they might present toxic effects to the consumer. Indeed, their use at high concentrations is more effective from the preservation viewpoint being, however, toxic for the consumer, whereas at low concentrations microbial resistance can develop.
The increase in antibiotic resistance and the emergence of new bacterial infections have intensified the research for natural products from plants with associated therapy. This study aimed to verify ...the antibacterial and antioxidant activity of crude extracts of the genus
species, being the first report on the modulation of aminoglycosides antibiotic activity by
extracts. The chemical composition was obtained by chemical prospecting and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with diode arrangement detector (HPLC/DAD). The antibacterial activities of the extracts alone or in association with aminoglycosides were analyzed using the microdilution test. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging. The phytochemical prospection allowed the flavonoids, saponins, tannins and triterpenoids to be identified. Quercetin, rutin, gallic acid, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, catechin, kaempferol, glycosylated kaempferol, quercitrin, and isoquercitrin were identified and quantified. The principal component analysis (PCA) observed the influence of flavonoids and phenolic acids from
species on studied activities. Phytochemical tests with the extracts indicated, especially, the presence of flavonoids, confirmed by quantitative analysis by HPLC. The results revealed antibacterial activities, and synergistic effects combined with aminoglycosides, as well as antioxidant potential, especially for
species, with IC
of 32.21 µg/mL. Multivariate analyzes show that the inclusion of data from the antioxidant and antibacterial activity suggests that the antioxidant effect of these species presents a significant contribution to the synergistic effect of phytoconstituents, especially based on the flavonoid contents. The results of this study suggest the antibacterial activity of
extracts, as well as their potential in modifying the resistance of the analyzed aminoglycosides.
During pregnancy, metabolic changes that develop in women may increase the risk of diseases and conditions that may also harm the life of the growing fetus. The aim of the present study was to ...identify and compare the metabolic profile (MP) during pregnancy in two birth cohorts in 2010 in the cities of Ribeirão Preto (RP) and São Luís (SL), Brazil. Pregnant women (1393 in RP and 1413 in SL) were studied; information was obtained through questionnaires in addition to anthropometric, biochemical, and blood pressure measurements. Data are presented as means and proportions. To compare the characteristics of pregnant women in both cities, chi-squared and Student's t-tests were applied, with 5% significance level. Ribeirão Preto presented higher mean values than SL for pre-gestational body mass index (24.5 vs 23 kg/m2, P<0.001), systolic (108.4 vs 102.8 mmHg, P<0.001) and diastolic (65.9 vs 61.8 mmHg, P<0.001) blood pressure, total cholesterol (226.3 vs 213.7 mg/dL, P<0.001) and fractions, and glycemia (84.5 vs 80.2 mg/dL, P<0.001), except for triglycerides (P=0.135). Women from RP also showed higher rates of pre-gestational overweight and obesity compared with SL (40.1 vs 25.8%). In the present study, pregnant women in RP had a worse gestational metabolic profile than those in SL, with higher pre-gestational excess weight, indicating that nutritional transition was more advanced in the more developed city.
Ensuring a sustainable supply of food for the world’s fast growing population is a major challenge in today’s economy, as modern lifestyle and increasing consumer concern with maintaining a balanced ...and nutritious diet is an important challenge for the agricultural sector worldwide. This market niche for healthier products, especially fruits and vegetables, has increased their production, consequently resulting in increased amounts of agri-food surplus, waste, and loss (SWL) generated during crop production, transportation, storage, and processing. Although many of these materials are not utilized, negatively affecting the environmental, economic, and social segments, they are a rich source of valuable compounds that could be used for different purposes, thus preventing the losses of natural resources and boosting a circular economy. This review aimed to give insights on the efficient management of agri-food SWL, considering conventional and emerging recovery and reuse techniques. Particularly, we explored and summarized the chemical composition of three worldwide cultivated and consumed vegetables (carrots, broccoli and lettuce) and evaluate the potential of their residues as a sustainable alternative for extracting value-added ingredients for the development of new biodynamic products.
Autophagy is a highly regulated process that has an important role in the control of a wide range of cellular functions, such as organelle recycling, nutrient availability and tissue differentiation. ...A recent study has shown an increased autophagic activity in the adipose tissue of obese subjects, and a role for autophagy in obesity-associated insulin resistance was proposed. Body mass reduction is the most efficient approach to tackle insulin resistance in over-weight subjects; however, the impact of weight loss in adipose tissue autophagy is unknown.
Adipose tissue autophagy was evaluated in mice and humans.
First, a mouse model of diet-induced obesity and diabetes was maintained on a 15-day, 40% caloric restriction. At baseline, markers of autophagy were increased in obese mice as compared with lean controls. Upon caloric restriction, autophagy increased in the lean mice, whereas it decreased in the obese mice. The reintroduction of ad libitum feeding was sufficient to rapidly reduce autophagy in the lean mice and increase autophagy in the obese mice. In the second part of the study, autophagy was evaluated in the subcutaneous adipose tissue of nine obese-non-diabetic and six obese-diabetic subjects undergoing bariatric surgery for body mass reduction. Specimens were collected during the surgery and approximately 1 year later. Markers of systemic inflammation, such as tumor necrosis factor-1α, interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β were evaluated. As in the mouse model, human obesity was associated with increased autophagy, and body mass reduction led to an attenuation of autophagy in the adipose tissue.
Obesity and caloric overfeeding are associated with the defective regulation of autophagy in the adipose tissue. The studies in obese-diabetic subjects undergoing improved metabolic control following calorie restriction suggest that autophagy and inflammation are regulated independently.
Is High Blood Pressure Self-Protection for the Brain? Warnert, Esther A.H; Rodrigues, Jonathan C.L; Burchell, Amy E ...
Circulation research,
2016-December-9, 2016-Dec-09, 2016-12-09, 20161209, Letnik:
119, Številka:
12
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
RATIONALE:Data from animal models of hypertension indicate that high blood pressure may develop as a vital mechanism to maintain adequate blood flow to the brain. We propose that congenital vascular ...variants of the posterior cerebral circulation and cerebral hypoperfusion could partially explain the pathogenesis of essential hypertension, which remains enigmatic in 95% of patients.
OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the role of the cerebral circulation in the pathophysiology of hypertension.
METHODS AND RESULTS:We completed a series of retrospective and mechanistic case-control magnetic resonance imaging and physiological studies in normotensive and hypertensive humans (n=259). Interestingly, in humans with hypertension, we report a higher prevalence of congenital cerebrovascular variants; vertebral artery hypoplasia, and an incomplete posterior circle of Willis, which were coupled with increased cerebral vascular resistance, reduced cerebral blood flow, and a higher incidence of lacunar type infarcts. Causally, cerebral vascular resistance was elevated before the onset of hypertension and elevated sympathetic nerve activity (n=126). Interestingly, untreated hypertensive patients (n=20) had a cerebral blood flow similar to age-matched controls (n=28). However, participants receiving antihypertensive therapy (with blood pressure controlled below target levels) had reduced cerebral perfusion (n=19). Finally, elevated cerebral vascular resistance was a predictor of hypertension, suggesting that it may be a novel prognostic or diagnostic marker (n=126).
CONCLUSIONS:Our data indicate that congenital cerebrovascular variants in the posterior circulation and the associated cerebral hypoperfusion may be a factor in triggering hypertension. Therefore, lowering blood pressure may worsen cerebral perfusion in susceptible individuals.
It has been estimated that 20-30% of repaired aortic coarctation (CoA) patients develop hypertension, with significant cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Vertebral artery hypoplasia (VAH) with ...an incomplete posterior circle of Willis (ipCoW; VAH + ipCoW) is associated with increased cerebrovascular resistance before the onset of increased sympathetic nerve activity in borderline hypertensive humans, suggesting brainstem hypoperfusion may evoke hypertension to maintain cerebral blood flow: the "selfish brain" hypothesis. We now assess the "selfish brain" in hypertension post-CoA repair.
Time-of-flight cardiovascular magnetic resonance angiography from 127 repaired CoA patients (34 ± 14 years, 61% male, systolic blood pressure (SBP) 138 ± 19 mmHg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) 76 ± 11 mmHg) was compared with 33 normotensive controls (42 ± 14 years, 48% male, SBP 124 ± 10 mmHg, DBP 76 ± 8 mmHg). VAH was defined as < 2 mm and ipCoW as hypoplasia of one or both posterior communicating arteries.
VAH + ipCoW was more prevalent in repaired CoA than controls (odds ratio: 5.8 1.6-20.8, p = 0.007), after controlling for age, sex and body mass index (BMI). VAH + ipCoW was an independent predictor of hypertension (odds ratio: 2.5 1.2-5.2, p = 0.017), after controlling for age, gender and BMI. Repaired CoA subjects with VAH + ipCoW were more likely to have difficult to treat hypertension (odds ratio: 3.3 1.01-10.7, p = 0.049). Neither age at time of CoA repair nor any specific repair type were significant predictors of VAH + ipCoW in univariate regression analysis.
VAH + ipCoW predicts arterial hypertension and difficult to treat hypertension in repaired CoA. It is unrelated to age at time of repair or repair type. CoA appears to be a marker of wider congenital cerebrovascular problems. Understanding the "selfish brain" in post-CoA repair may help guide management.
High Blood Pressure; Hypertension; Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI); Cardiovascular Surgery; Cerebrovascular Malformations.
Point clouds are a very rich 3D visual representation model, which has become increasingly appealing for multimedia applications with immersion, interaction and realism requirements. Due to different ...acquisition and creation conditions as well as target applications, point clouds' characteristics may be very diverse, notably on their density. While geographical information systems or autonomous driving applications may use rather sparse point clouds, cultural heritage or virtual reality applications typically use denser point clouds to more accurately represent objects and people. Naturally, to offer immersion and realism, point clouds need a rather large number of points, thus asking for the development of efficient coding solutions. The use of deep learning models for coding purposes has recently gained relevance, with latest developments in image coding achieving state-of-the-art performance, thus making natural the adoption of this technology also for point cloud coding. This paper presents a novel deep learning-based solution for point cloud geometry coding which is able to efficiently adapt to the content's characteristics. The proposed coding solution divides the point cloud into 3D blocks and selects the most suitable available deep learning coding model to code each block, thus maximizing the compression performance. In comparison to the state-of-the-art MPEG G-PCC Trisoup standard, the proposed coding solution offers average quality gains up to 4.9 and 5.7 dB for PSNR D1 and PSNR D2, respectively.
Liposome-like nanoarchitectures containing manganese ferrite nanoparticles covered or decorated with gold were developed for application in dual cancer therapy, combining chemotherapy and ...photothermia. The magnetic/plasmonic nanoparticles were characterized using XRD, UV/Visible absorption, HR-TEM, and SQUID, exhibiting superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature. The average size of the gold-decorated nanoparticles was 26.7 nm for MnFe2O4 with 5–7 nm gold nanospheres. The average size of the core/shell nanoparticles was 28.8 nm for the magnetic core and around 4 nm for the gold shell. Two new potential antitumor fluorescent drugs, tricyclic lactones derivatives of thienopyridine, were loaded in these nanosystems with very high encapsulation efficiencies (higher than 98%). Assays in human tumor cell lines demonstrate that the nanocarriers do not release the antitumor compounds in the absence of irradiation. Moreover, the nanosystems do not cause any effect on the growth of primary (non-tumor) cells (with or without irradiation). The drug-loaded systems containing the core/shell magnetic/plasmonic nanoparticles efficiently inhibit the growth of tumor cells when irradiated with red light, making them suitable for a triggered release promoted by irradiation.
Aim
This study compared the shaping ability of four new reciprocating and rotary nickel‐titanium instruments, with triangular or S‐shaped cross‐section, in the mesial canals of mandibular molars ...using micro‐computed tomographic (micro‐CT) evaluation.
Methodology
Twenty‐four extracted mandibular molars with Vertucci's class IV configuration in the mesial root were selected for this study. The teeth were matched in fours according to anatomic similarities as revealed by micro‐CT and then distributed into four groups of 12 mesial canals each according to the instrumentation technique: Reciproc Blue, R‐motion, VDW.Rotate and RaCe EVO. The final apical size of instrumentation was 30/0.04 for three systems and 25/08 for the Reciproc Blue instrument. Micro‐CT scans were taken before and after preparation to evaluate the canal volume, area and unprepared surface areas, as well as the centring ability, and the canal: root width ratio.
Results
Preparation with all systems significantly increased the volume and area of the canals (p < .05). There were no significant differences between groups regarding the amount of unprepared areas in both the apical and full canal lengths (p > .05). Variation in the centre of gravity showed no significant difference between groups either (p > .05). The canal: root width ratio at levels 0 and 4 mm apically to the coronal canal opening was significantly increased by all systems (p < .01), with no significant differences between groups (p > .05). The canal width never exceeded 40% of the root width.
Conclusions
Reciprocating or rotary instruments, with a triangular or an S‐shaped cross‐section, performed equally in shaping Vertucci's class IV mesial canals of mandibular molars.
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